Townie Casefile: Mint for More

Townie Casefile: Mint for More 

Inside Dr. Trent McCord’s weekly nonprofit clinic: extractions, printed dentures, and life-changing before-and-afters.


Townie Casefiles spotlight exceptional case studies from our own community. Each article highlights real-world clinical techniques, decision-making strategies, and long-term outcomes from Townies who share their expertise on the Dentaltown message boards.
Case Highlights
Clinician: Dr. Trent McCord

Focus: Full-mouth extractions and digital dentures through nonprofit care

Nonprofit: Mint for More (founded 2022)

Annual results (2024): $836,969.30 in donated care, 78 arches of dentures, 48 patients, 1,248 extractions

Clinical highlights: 3D-printed healing and try-in dentures, milled finals after tissue stabilization, referral-only patient model
Nine years after opening his startup practice in Centerton, Arkansas, Townie Dr. Trent McCord shared a candid story on the Dentaltown message boards about the early struggles of practice ownership. Those first months were marked by stress, self-doubt, and sleepless nights as he tried to keep his young practice afloat. “The practice was doing well,” he reflected, “but I was miserable and couldn’t sleep.”

Through reflection and some tough soul-searching, McCord began to redefine what success meant. He wrote out his ideal day and even his own obituary, exercises that helped him realize what truly gave his work meaning: using his skills to help people who couldn’t otherwise afford care. His practice had always performed small acts of kindness, but he discovered that those moments—offering treatment without expecting payment—were the only times he felt genuine peace. So, he decided to make generosity part of the business plan.

By 2018, McCord and his team set a goal: donate $750,000 in dentistry by 2028. They began tracking every charitable case by creating a dummy provider in Open Dental and hosting one or two free dental days each year. Those days quickly became the highlight of the calendar. “Zero stress, zero anxiety,” McCord said. “This is the most fun we have as a team.” The office culture evolved around that spirit of giving, and work began to feel lighter.

In 2022, he established a nonprofit called Mint for More, allowing the team to apply for grants and accept donations. His parents made the first contribution, and soon the nonprofit received a state Delta Dental Foundation grant to cover denture lab fees. That support turned simple extraction days into full-mouth reconstruction days. “In 2024, we provided 78 arches of dentures for 48 patients and pulled 1,248 teeth at no charge,” McCord said. “Our total donated services for the year was $836,969.30. And I enjoyed dentistry more than ever.”

Each Thursday, his office transforms into a nonprofit clinic. Two to three chairs run all day, focusing on full-arch extractions and dentures, many of them 3D-printed on the practice’s Formlabs Form 2 and Form 3 printers. The printed try-ins double as functional appliances patients can wear while healing. “Sometimes the teeth are too big or the bite’s high,” he admitted, “but the patients don’t care—they’re thrilled. We can fix the details later.”

He pays his staff for these days while the doctors volunteer their time. “It’s a culture thing,” he explained. “I know they’d show up anyway, but they have families too.” Patients are referred only through trusted community partners—schools, local nonprofits, and recovery programs—ensuring the limited spots go to people who truly need help and will keep their appointments.

The program also reaches children. One free-care day for kids treated 44 patients, most for cleanings but also for some emergency procedures. Schools helped arrange transportation, even sending a bus.

“There’s a black hole for children who don’t have Medicaid but should,” McCord wrote. “Sometimes spending time in a positive environment is as valuable as the dental care.”

What began as a personal coping mechanism evolved into a sustainable model. Mint for More now aims to reach $1 million in donated care by 2028 and to expand into an adjacent space dedicated to nonprofit treatment. McCord credits the work with saving his career. “My office, where I used to be miserable, is somewhere I now enjoy going to,” he said. “My Thursdays are dedicated to the nonprofit work, and I sleep really well on Wednesday nights.”

The same dentist who once feared he’d chosen the wrong path now measures success in smiles restored, not dollars billed. “I think every office could benefit from this kind of work,” McCord said. “We’ve learned where to find patients, how to make it flow, and how to do it efficiently. It’s taken nine years to get here, but this is the best it’s been.”


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Great Dentists, Great Dentistry
Author Dr. Trent McCord, known as hogtooth on the Dentaltown message boards, has been a member since 2012 and has contributed more than 3,600 posts. He practices in Centerton, Arkansas, where he focuses on restorative and comprehensive care. Dr. McCord is known among Townies for his straightforward clinical discussions, sense of humor, and willingness to share both the successes and struggles of private practice.



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